Teams did not arrive in Brasov until 0920 and they had the RAODBLOCK and DETOUR to contend with. With the exception of Brad/Victoria, they should finish at between noon and 4pm. After the pitstop, they have about a 3 hour drive in the middle of the night (more during the day time) to get to Bucharest airport between 3am and 7am. The best route Bucharest to Kransnojarsk after 3am is one of these 3 combinations probably taken by the 3 leading teams:

While at the PitStop, an unmarked envelope containing the identity (picture) of a team that must complete the U-Turn on the next leg was chosen. Teams must now race quicker in case they were blindly chosen as the ones to complete the U-Turn.

While at the PitStop, an unmarked envelope containing the identity (picture) of a team that must complete the U-Turn on the next leg was chosen. Teams must now race quicker in case they were blindly chosen as the ones to complete the U-Turn.

Is this official? A sudden thought came into my mind, i think only in the case when a U-TURN is unused (all teams chose not to utilise their U-TURN), then it will become a "blind" U-TURN, where teams will draw lots (marked envelop) to see who will complete the U-TURN for the next leg.

Chateau estimated that Mark and Mike hit the PitStop between 2:14 and 2:33 pm.

I may have to redo this.

I made a fundamental mistake and that is when getting time from Solar altitude you have to consider that the sun could be either going up or going down when it is shining form the angle determined. Soo .... That arrival time may well end up being on the other side of noon. More analysis is in the works so stay tuned.

I saw that Kris & Mander completed the Detour at 10:38 am according to the Randy Jackson sized wristwatch on Kris.

While at the PitStop, an unmarked envelope containing the identity (picture) of a team that must complete the U-Turn on the next leg was chosen. Teams must now race quicker in case they were blindly chosen as the ones to complete the U-Turn.

Is this official? A sudden thought came into my mind, i think only in the case when a U-TURN is unused (all teams chose not to utilise their U-TURN), then it will become a "blind" U-TURN, where teams will draw lots (marked envelop) to see who will complete the U-TURN for the next leg.

Here's a guess that after unscrambling "Chekhov," teams find the Krasnoyarsk-based cruise ship bearing his name. This would get them to the river area before the detour options. Or if the roadblock is after the detour, this could be a pitstop possibility...

http://raytour.com/html/cruises/Krasnoyarsk_Dudinka.html"The unique cruise Krasnoyarsk-Dudinka goes along the Yenisei river, one of the biggest rivers in the world. The tourists will know about the nature of the Krasnoyarsk Territory and visit the towns: Yeniseisk, Turukhansk, Igarka, Dudinka. Besides, there wilt be the so-called "green stops" where you will see the wild nature of Siberia. You will see the Angara river and the polar day, polar rainbow and tundra in full. "Anton Chekhov" - one of the most comfortable russian ships built in Austria in 1978. European quality service, every cabin with WC, shower, bath, air conditioning. Restaurant, bar, cinema, library, swimming pool, sauna. MS "A.Chekhov" was built in Korniburg, Austria in 1978."

Chateau estimated that Mark and Mike hit the PitStop between 2:14 and 2:33 pm.

I may have to redo this.

I made a fundamental mistake and that is when getting time from Solar altitude you have to consider that the sun could be either going up or going down when it is shining form the angle determined. Soo .... That arrival time may well end up being on the other side of noon. More analysis is in the works so stay tuned.

I saw that Kris & Mander completed the Detour at 10:38 am according to the Randy Jackson sized wristwatch on Kris.

Chateau,I hate to state the obvious, but are you saying that with all the tasks once teams did in Brasov and the Bran area (which is 24 km away), any team was able to complete them before noon? The 630am train from Bucharest Nord did not arrive until 922am!

Here's a guess that after unscrambling "Chekhov," teams find the Krasnoyarsk-based cruise ship bearing his name. This would get them to the river area before the detour options. Or if the roadblock is after the detour, this could be a pitstop possibility...

http://raytour.com/html/cruises/Krasnoyarsk_Dudinka.html"The unique cruise Krasnoyarsk-Dudinka goes along the Yenisei river, one of the biggest rivers in the world. The tourists will know about the nature of the Krasnoyarsk Territory and visit the towns: Yeniseisk, Turukhansk, Igarka, Dudinka. Besides, there wilt be the so-called "green stops" where you will see the wild nature of Siberia. You will see the Angara river and the polar day, polar rainbow and tundra in full. "Anton Chekhov" - one of the most comfortable russian ships built in Austria in 1978. European quality service, every cabin with WC, shower, bath, air conditioning. Restaurant, bar, cinema, library, swimming pool, sauna. MS "A.Chekhov" was built in Korniburg, Austria in 1978."

Hmm, Puddin, after seeing your site, I think my info might have been out of date...

From your page:"For many years the ship was traveling along the exotic route on Yenisey River in Siberia and starting 2004 it will be used on the most popular Russian cruise line Moscow – St. Petersburg."

Although, here's a 2007 article that says the Anton Chekhov is transporting tourists to the old gulag camps, starting in Krasnoyarsk.

Chateau estimated that Mark and Mike hit the PitStop between 2:14 and 2:33 pm.

I may have to redo this.

I made a fundamental mistake and that is when getting time from Solar altitude you have to consider that the sun could be either going up or going down when it is shining form the angle determined. Soo .... That arrival time may well end up being on the other side of noon. More analysis is in the works so stay tuned.

I saw that Kris & Mander completed the Detour at 10:38 am according to the Randy Jackson sized wristwatch on Kris.

Chateau,I hate to state the obvious, but are you saying that with all the tasks once teams did in Brasov and the Bran area (which is 24 km away), any team was able to complete them before noon? The 630am train from Bucharest Nord did not arrive until 922am!

Hmm, Puddin, after seeing your site, I think my info might have been out of date...

From your page:"For many years the ship was traveling along the exotic route on Yenisey River in Siberia and starting 2004 it will be used on the most popular Russian cruise line Moscow – St. Petersburg."

Although, here's a 2007 article that says the Anton Chekhov is transporting tourists to the old gulag camps, starting in Krasnoyarsk.

I have to think that the "blind" u-turn needs to be taken almost literally. I think it would be so insensitive of TPTB to call something blind when they have a deaf contestant, unless it actually refers to being "blinded". Perhaps the U-Turn team has to select a member to be blindfolded for the task, or even both although TARAsia is right that this would be really unfair for Luke and Margie. Are TPTB so insensitive as to introduce this term this season of all seasons? I guess only time will tell....

Not much to say, your description just about covered it. Ovsyanka ("oatmeal") started out a settlement guarding the approach to Krasnoyarsk. The Tsar Fish, on a overlook east of the village, is a reference to the most famous work of favorite-son author Victor Astafiev.

65 writers gave their names to streets, lanes, passages in Irkutsk. For example, there are streets of Gorkii and Herzen, Goncharov and Dostoevskii, Chekhov

Or let us take A.P.Chekhov. He wrote about Irkutsk from his own experience. The memorial board on the house, along the street Furye, 1, reminds us of Chekhov’s staying on June 6, 1890 in the hotel "the Amur yard" to rest on the way to the Sakhalin island. The writer liked the city very much. ...www.manus.baikal.ru/eng/es19.htm

Can anyone decipher what Mark means in the cab? (Cheers to Puddin for helping me out with that video!)

Quote from: Mark

We're leaving/leading in first place with Jennifer and Kisha and Jodi and Christie. And everybody else actually got stuck back in the other airport.

"The other airport" suggests they're using different airports out of Moscow, not a surprise since Domodedovo, Sheremtyevo and Vnukovo alternate best flights to Krasnojarsk. But are Mark and Michael in a cab going from one Moscow airport to another, or have they already arrived in Krasnojarsk?

Answering this question may help us figure out:> Whether it was dark when the lead teams get to Moscow > Whether Bran was an extended Pit Stop > The flights available from Bucharest to Krasnojarsk > The lead Mark/Michael have over the other teams > When/whether Victor/Tammy get saved by bunching > How long teams spend in Russia > Whether the Jaipur leg was one day or two > Are there likely to be stragglers going into Phuket > How many teams get to Phuket

I've looked at shots of "the other airport", but I'm going nowhere! I can rule out Sheremtyevo, but it has similarities to all of Bucharest, Domodedovo and Vnukovo...

VoiceOver: exhaustion has set inLuke: argghhhhhhhhhhMargie: hes getting very frustrated..I want to help him but I can't

Michael & Mark walking down the streetMichael: this is going to take all day VO: Now, can the teams come together in time?Mike & Mel conf (from ep1): some how were going to survive this race ...for a game changing twist?

Tammy watching Victor on the flume thingy: you got it! Michael & Mark: Who got U-Turned?Shots of the Blind U-Turn